Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of controlling bandwidth in a packet-based data system comprising a base station and a plurality of network interface units (NIUs), comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting special data from the base station to the NIUs, wherein the NIUs are organized into two or more groups and the special data identify which groups of NIUs are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station; and (b) transmitting upstream messages to the base station from only authorized NIUs, wherein: each NIU is assigned two or more group words identifying its group; the special data contain authorization information identifying which groups of NIUs are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station; the authorization information is contained in two or more code words corresponding to a multi-dimensional pattern, where each code word corresponds to a different dimension of the multi-dimensional pattern; and each set of group words assigned to an NIU corresponds to a single location in the multi-dimensional pattern such that if the location in the multi-dimensional pattern corresponding to a particular group is set, then NIUs assigned to the particular group are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station.
2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the special data authorize different groups of NIUs to transmit upstream messages at different times.
3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the special data cyclically authorize different groups of NIUs to transmit upstream messages.
4. The invention of claim 1, wherein: the authorization information is contained in a horizontal code word and a vertical code word corresponding to a two-dimensional (2D) pattern; each set of one or more group words assigned to an NIU comprises a horizontal group word and a vertical group word; and each pair of horizontal and vertical group words corresponds to a single location in the 2D pattern such that, if the location in the 2D pattern corresponding to a particular group is set, then NIUs assigned to the particular group are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station.
5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the special data contain different horizontal and vertical code words to define different 2D patterns at different times.
6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the special data cyclically repeat a series of different 2D patterns.
7. The invention of claim 1, wherein the data system is a telecommunications system and each upstream message is a request from an NIU for bandwidth to set up a phone call.
8. A base station for a packet-based data system further comprising a plurality of network interface units (NIUs), wherein: the base station is configured to transmit special data to the NIUs, wherein the NIUs are organized into two or more groups and the special data identify which groups of NIUs are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station; only authorized NIUs are configured to transmit upstream messages to the base station; each NIU is assigned two or more group words identifying its group: the special data contain authorization information identifying which groups of NIUs are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station; the authorization information is contained in two or more code words corresponding to a multi-dimensional pattern, where each code word corresponds to a different dimension of the multi-dimensional pattern; and each set of group words assigned to an NIU corresponds to a single location in the multi-dimensional pattern such that, if the location in the multi-dimensional pattern corresponding to a particular group is set, then NIUs assigned to the particular group are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station.
9. The invention of claim 8, wherein the special data authorize different groups of NIUs to transmit upstream messages at different times.
10. The invention of claim 9, wherein the special data cyclically authorize different groups of NIUs to transmit upstream messages.
11. The invention of claim 8, wherein: the authorization information is contained in a horizontal code word and a vertical code word corresponding to a two-dimensional (2D) pattern; each set of one or more group words assigned to an NIU comprises a horizontal group word and a vertical group word; and each pair of horizontal and vertical group words corresponds to a single location in the 2D pattern such that, if the location in the 2D pattern corresponding to a particular group is set, then NIUs assigned to the particular group are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station.
12. The invention of claim 11, wherein the special data contain different horizontal and vertical code words to define different 2D patterns at different times.
13. The invention of claim 12, wherein the special data cyclically repeat a series of different 2D patterns.
14. The invention of claim 8, wherein the data system is a telecommunications system and each upstream message is a request from an NIU for bandwidth to set up a phone call.
15. A network interface unit (NIU) for a packet-based data system, the packet-based data system further comprising a base station and one or more additional NIUs, wherein: the base station is configured to transmit special data to the NIUs, wherein the NIUs are organized into two or more groups and the special data identify which groups of NIUs are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station; only authorized NIUs are configured to transmit upstream messages to the base station; each NIU is assigned two or more group words identifying its group; the special data contain authorization information identifying which groups of NIUs are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station; the authorization information is contained in two or more code words corresponding to a multi-dimensional pattern, where each code word corresponds to a different dimension of the multi-dimensional pattern; and each set of group words assigned to an NIU corresponds to a single location in the multi-dimensional pattern such that, if the location in the multi-dimensional pattern corresponding to a particular group is set, then NIUs assigned to the particular group are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station.
16. The invention of claim 15, wherein the special data authorize different groups of NIUs to transmit upstream messages at different times.
17. The invention of claim 16, wherein the special data cyclically authorize different groups of NIUs to transmit upstream messages.
18. The invention of claim 15, wherein: the authorization information is contained in a horizontal code word and a vertical code word corresponding to a two-dimensional (2D) pattern; each set of one or more group words assigned to an NIU comprises a horizontal group word and a vertical group word; and each pair of horizontal and vertical group words corresponds to a single location in the 2D pattern such that, if the location in the 2D pattern corresponding to a particular group is set, then NIUs assigned to the particular group are authorized to transmit upstream messages to the base station.
19. The invention of claim 18, wherein the special data contain different horizontal and vertical code words to define different 2D patterns at different times.
20. The invention of claim 19, wherein the special data cyclically repeat a series of different 2D patterns.
21. The invention of claim 15, wherein the data system is a telecommunications system and each upstream message is a request from an NIU for bandwidth to set up a phone call.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
Unknown
February 27, 2001
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